Conjure Some Love For Conjure House

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/conjure-house

Kevin Boswell

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Conjure Campaign

• Amid the overfamiliar landscape of grocers, coffee shops and historic churches of Durham, NC, stands an enigmatic structure… a house of conjure, bearing the perplexing name of Thaumaturgy 777. It’s proprietor is Magus, a musician, poet, occultist and Conjure Coach. He works with select, private clients to create strategic, innovative solutions to a variety of problems, both magickal and mundane.

  Steeped in two decades of practice with the tarot, astrology and ritual, Magus uses a diversity of methods to peer onto the astral plane to gather information, identify objectives and manifest those goals on the material. Standing in the gap between the witch doctor and the life coach, working at the crossroads where Hoodoo, Pagan and Ceremonial Magick meet, Magus helps intrepid individuals to a deep place of understanding, with a new set of skills from which to draw.

  Magus is an initiate of The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a graduate of Catherine Yronwode’s Hoodoo Rootwork Correspondence Course and he’s versed in various other Pagan practices of spell work and divination. As a life coach, he is educated through Robbins-Madanes Training.

  Established in 2010, Thaumaturgy 777 is an exclusive supply house of occult goods, offering up the finest in custom materia magica, those requisite articles of ritual magick… candles, books, powders, incenses, herbs, oils and curios.

What You Get… What Thaumaturgy 777 Gets…

• It’s time to expand the shop and the goal is $12,000.
• The funds will be used to purchase inventory, new shelving, furniture, a second computer and salary for an employee. Its also time to upgrade to an actual cash register 😉
• You get to be a very special part of this radical overhaul and you’ll get some really exciting, exclusive stuff for yourself at the same time!
• Logically, the first concerns are always rent, bills and inventory. Beyond that, the financial contributions will go to the items that are needed most, in a sensible order.
• If the goal is surpassed, then all additional funds will go to the next project, which is a Pagan community center, called Heka House, named after Hekate, the Goddess of witchcraft and heka, a term that means magick and the liminal spaces, between the worlds. The building that Thaumaturgy 777 already occupies is itself, a large and liminal world unto itself, being highly ideal for such a venture. The vision is to turn this space into a place where various groups can meet and those in need can receive whatever immediate assistance we might be able to provide or point in the direction of. This might be as simple as sharing a hot meal or giving someone a ride to a doctor or the Food Bank.

The Impact

• This is a small business in the truest sense of the word. It’s a chance for you to be a champion for the little guy, helping many to experience some real magick, devoid of Hollywood froufrou and sensational commercialism. The only other such shops are all more than 45 minutes away, in any direction. There’s nothing like 777, anywhere else in Durham.
• Thaumaturgy 777 is fast approaching its 5th year in business. 5 years seems to be the magick number for businesses and I will be there this summer. There have been really good times and some exceedingly stressful times, even where it looked like I wouldn’t make it at all, no matter what I did. Yet, the rough weather has been harbored and the future looks quite bright, indeed. There are lots of new things opening up right around the shop, such as Cocoa Cinnamon, a very popular coffee shop and Gregoria’s Cuban Steakhouse is a fabulous eatery, right across the street. Only a fraction of a mile from 9th Street, the shop is now surrounded by great new businesses like Panera Bread, Harris Teeter and more.
• I started Thaumaturgy 777 out of my bedroom in 2010 and used a sum of personal funds (less than $3000) to start out in a tiny, two room physical location, less than a year later. After almost a year in that little space, Thaumaturgy 777 was upgraded (through some generous mojo from Jupiter) to a 3,600 square foot house on Hillsborough Rd in Durham. The shop is currently only two of those rooms but now there is a dedicated Temple space where I do private ritual and workings for patrons, there is a lab where the incenses, teas, bath mixes, oils, etc are mixed and a private office where I meet with patrons for conjure coaching. Additionally, I live in the building and there is a very large conference room where large workshops and group rituals are held.

Risks & Challenges

• Indiegogo says I should honestly assess the risks of this, since people appreciate transparency. I know that’s true. So, here it is. Honestly, I have done everything the hard way, from day one. Part of that is a lack of business training; I went into this blind and taught myself all of it. Part of it is a thick-headed stubbornness that is both a blessing and a curse. My Cancer sun and Virgo ascendent means that it has to be my way and really, that is the only reason the products are as good as they are and the services are as solid as they are. Yet, I realize that any strength becomes a weakness, when taken too far. Yet, I am constantly reading, studying, asking questions and petitioning my Deities for aid. All this keeps me on track and most people would have folded by now, yet I am still here… against all odds.

Other Ways You Can Help

Some of you are just not able to contribute right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help:

• You’ll be doing me a HUGE service if you’ll take just a moment and share this on your Facebook or other social media site, or if you will put it on your own website or pass it to a list serve, absolutely anything you can think of, it will be highly appreciated. Indiegogo has share tools! So, check those out!
• You can also volunteer time to come in and help. There’s always a lot to do here.
• Other things needed are yard work and greenery (indoor and out), a carpenter to build shelving and any kind of furniture that is in good shape, as in tables, couches, folding chairs, etc. I also can use the expertise of anyone who understands Quickbooks or can help me streamline the operation in any way, be that legal issues, packaging, supplier tips or anything useful, in any way.
• Most of all, make any contribution you can, however small, because they add up quickly and share the link for this! I thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me to make an old-fashioned conjure house come alive in Durham!

Groovy Optical Illusion

Funky Wolf Cafe

New ‘Pillars Of Creation’ Hubble Image Is Breathtaking | Video

Call me crazy *everyone else does* but in those Pillars of Creation I saw wolves, a bird, humans, creatures, and amazing life forms.  Is it just me???

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Homemade Herbal Medicines for Common Ailments

Simple and safe, homemade herbal medicines can help you heal common ailments on a shoestring. By Stephen Harrod Buhner

Turn your kitchen into an herbal apothecary for a safe and effective way to remedy common ailments.
Photo by Jason Houston

Somewhat glumly, I celebrated my 61st birthday this past July. In the back of my mind, I’ve been sure for 45 years that God would make an exception to my normal and natural biodegrading process, thus allowing me to remain 35 years old well into my 90s. Somehow, it escaped the Universe’s notice that some fine print in my birth contract negates, in my case, the aging process. A failing I am trying to get across, without success (so far).

In general, however, I am very healthy and I do have one very special thing going for me: I don’t use any pharmaceuticals, unlike nearly everyone I know in my age group. On the rare occasion I do visit a physician, that statement always generates a great deal of surprise. It is, as I have found, a very unusual event in these early decades of the 21st century. (It wasn’t when I was young.)

Take your healing into your own hands for a powerful and practical way to get well.
Photo by Jason Houston

The reason I don’t take even one prescription pharmaceutical every day is mostly due to my lifestyle — primarily because of my reliance on herbal medicines. I have been using homemade herbal remedies as my primary health care for about 30 years. I’ve successfully treated everything from minor colds, flus, cuts and scrapes, which we all encounter on our journey through life, to irritable bowel syndrome and staph — with visits to many interesting conditions in between. Though herbal medicines may not be right for everyone’s lifestyle, I have found the natural approach life-enhancing, self-empowering, inexpensive and safe.

The best treatments I’ve found for common ailments all use herbs you can grow in your garden or likely have in your kitchen cupboards, disguised as condiments and spices. And, of course, these remedies are not the final answer on what works; nearly every plant you see around you can heal something.

Skin Conditions

Burns. I usually just pace around while verbally — and loudly — exploring the world of expletives. But sometimes I also use the following remedies.

Comfrey root prompts healing and makes for a good wound powder ingredient.
Photo by iStockphoto/ErikaMitchell

1. Honey: This is especially good for severe burns. It will stop infection, stimulate skin regeneration and keep the burned area moist. Honey is better for burns than nearly all medical interventions, even for third-degree burns.

2. Prickly pear cactus pads, filleted: Wear gloves to hold the pads while using a sharp knife to gently fillet the exterior skin off the pads. You will be left with slimy, oval pads of plant matter. Place the pads directly on the burn and bandage the wound. For a sunburn, rub the pads on the affected area.

Cuts and scrapes. Every one of us encounters life’s sharp edges, often over and over again. Here’s how I handle the aftereffects.

1. Wound powder: My homemade wound powder stops the bleeding, dries out the wound, inhibits infection and stimulates healing. I generally use a bandage the first day and then leave the wound open afterward (unless it’s in a hard-to-protect area or is gaping).

Some plants’ roots are medicinally potent. Oregon grape root, a berberine plant, is a disinfectant, and thus a good additive to wound powder.
Photo by Dreamstime/Jpldesigns

A good wound powder recipe contains any berberine plant (such as barberry, goldenseal or Oregon grape root); comfrey root or leaf; juniper needles (the older the needles on the tree or bush, the better — old needles contain more tannins and will thus stop bleeding faster than young needles will); and maybe oregano, rosemary or thyme. The berberine plant and juniper needles will disinfect, and the juniper needles will also stop the bleeding. Comfrey will stimulate healing, and oregano, rosemary and thyme are also antibacterials. I usually make the following recipe and keep it in the freezer to retain freshness:

Measure out 1 ounce of the berberine plant root or bark, a half-ounce of the comfrey root, 1 ounce of the juniper needles, and a quarter-ounce of the oregano, rosemary or thyme leaves (optional). Combine the ingredients, mix them in a blender or food processor until well-ground, and then powder the mixture until fine in a clean coffee grinder. I often sieve it afterward to get as flour-like a powder as possible. Sprinkle it liberally on the wound.

2. Honey: Stop using the wound powder after a few days and switch to honey. It’s effective against all known drug-resistant bacteria and really speeds healing. Just cover the wound with honey, bandage, and change the dressing daily.

3. Wound salve: Use a combination of berberine plants, black walnut hulls, comfrey root, oregano leaves, rosemary leaves, Siberian elm bark (Ulmus pumila) and dried thyme. Add a quarter-cup each of the

Bearberry is handy for handling urinary tract infections.
Photo by Dreamstime/Sever180

roughly ground herbs to a baking dish and mix. Cover the blend with about a quarter-inch olive oil, cover the dish, and bake overnight in an oven on its lowest heat setting. In the morning, let the mixture cool. Press out and then reheat the oil. Stir in finely chopped or grated beeswax — 2 ounces per cup of infused oil — and let melt. To check hardness, put a drop of salve on a plate and wait until the salve cools. It should remain solid but melt after a second of pressing on it with your finger.

Rashes. Rashes come in many forms, so treatments will vary. Here are a few.

1. For hives: Apply a tincture of Echinacea angustifolia root topically, using a cotton ball to administer it to the affected areas. Take a half-teaspoon of the tincture internally each hour or so as well. (Pass on E. purpurea — I’ve found it useless for hives.)

2. For poison ivy: Jewelweed salve is best. Good additives are calendula flowers, chamomile flowers and Siberian elm bark, all of which will soothe skin. Add any other herbs you want, but use the aerial parts of a jewelweed plant for half of the dried herbs by weight. Then, follow the same process as above for making the wound salve.

The aerial plants of jewelweed can create a potent poison ivy remedy.
Photo by iStockphoto/NNehring

Stings and bites. Use prickly pear as you would for burns or echinacea as you would for hives.

Intestinal Upsets

Diarrhea. Any strongly astringent plant will work for ordinary diarrhea. Blackberry root, the main standby used for millenia, is extremely effective. Krameria root, older pine needles just pulled off the tree, and wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) are all very helpful for regulation. To use, roughly chop or grind the dried herb of your choice. Add 1 ounce to a quart jar that can take heat, and fill with hot water. Cover the concoction and let it steep overnight (or for two hours if you really can’t wait). Drink it throughout the next day. Repeat as needed.

Irritable bowel syndrome. Juice 1 beet, 1 piece of green cabbage (about the size of a medium carrot), 3 carrots, 4 stalks of celery and 4 leaves of fresh plantain (Plantago spp.).

Though they’re spiky on the outside, the insides of prickly pear cactus pads will soothe burning skin.

Plantain is a common plant you can usually find growing in front yards, and is unrelated to the banana of the same name. Cabbage and plantain are the most important ingredients, but they don’t taste very good by themselves. The other ingredients will improve the taste while assisting your adrenal glands, liver and immune system. Drink this juice every morning for breakfast, eat oatmeal for lunch, and have whatever you want for dinner. Irritable bowel syndrome will clear fairly rapidly on this regimen.

Viruses and Infections

Colds and flu. Many plants have antiviral properties — plants get colds just like we do, but because they can’t go to the doctor, they make their own medicines. One of the best antiviral remedies is ginger, but use the fresh juice or it won’t work. When cold and flu season approaches, I buy about a pound of fresh ginger and juice it. Make sure you squeeze out the pulp — a lot more juice will be in there. Put the ginger juice in any handy bottle and keep it the refrigerator. If everyone around me is getting sick or I

Wild geranium is one of several astringent plants that will help regulate digestion.
Photo by Dreamstime/Victoria L. Almgren

feel that first onset of illness, I stir together 3 fluid ounces of the juice, 1 tablespoon of honey, a sprinkle of cayenne, the juice of a quarter of a lime, and 6 fluid ounces of hot water. Drink this blend as a hot tea three to six times per day. This tea rarely fails to either stop an infection’s progression or heal it altogether. It’s pretty good for opening up the sinuses as well.

Urinary tract infections. Juniper berries are highly effective for urinary tract infections. Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) is nearly as useful, and berberines are handy, too. I make a tincture of juniper berries — works like a charm. To make the tincture, take 1 ounce of dried juniper berries, grind them as finely as you can, and add 5 fluid ounces of a 50 percent alcoholic beverage, such as vodka. Let the tincture steep for two weeks, decant it, press the berries to drain them of liquid, strain the tincture, and keep it in a bottle. Take 10 drops six times per day until the infection clears. If you use bearberry in place of juniper berries, take 30 drops six times daily. You can do the same if using a berberine plant.

Some common “weeds” with healing properties are likely growing right in your yard.
Photo by Steven Foster

Bidens also works for urinary tract infections. Bidens species constitute a fairly large grouping of plants, and all of the species you’re likely to encounter are very good herbal medicines. They are sometimes called “beggar’s ticks” (and even worse names), so you might be familiar with them under another moniker. Bidens plants are invasive and they grow pretty much everywhere. Bidens is a reliable, broad-spectrum antibacterial herb if you make a tincture from the fresh plant (dried bidens is useless for this). Pick bidens during or slightly before the plants are flowering. Cut up the plant, weigh it and put 6 ounces in a jar. Add 12 fluid ounces of pure grain alcohol. You can use vodka, but the resulting medicine won’t be as strong. Let the mixture steep for two weeks, decant it, strain and press the herbs to drain them well, and bottle the liquid. Use when needed.

Bidens is good for general systemic bacterial infections, but it’s specifically useful for infections in mucus membrane systems. If you have a urinary tract infection and almost get well but then have a relapse, bidens is the perfect plant to use. Take a quarter- to a half-teaspoon of the tincture up to six times per day for two to four weeks. Bidens is safe, and it hasn’t failed me yet. Bidens pilosa is what most people use, but I use B. pinnata from my yard. Any bidens plant will most likely do.

Resources for Homemade Herbal Remedies

To learn more about herbal medicines, I recommend Making Plant Medicine by Richo Cech, The Herbal Medicine-Maker’s Handbook by James Green, and my book Herbal Antibiotics, second edition, which

Plantain is a common weed with healing properties, and is not related to the banana of the same name.
Photo by Steven Foster

contains a materia medica of more than 200 plants and their medicinal preparation methods. These books explain in-depth how to make nearly all of the herbal medicines you’ll ever need to use.

Wholesome Healing

The plant medicines that grow in our yards or sit in our kitchens can fairly easily heal most common ailments. I have found that after your life is saved by a plant, nothing is ever the same again. Herbal medicines open up a new world to the perceiving self. All of us who read Mother Earth News know we should work to help heal the Earth, but your perspective will change significantly after you’ve experienced the Earth healing you.

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Resources

Here are some of my favorite sources for healthful herbs and tinctures.

Elk Mountain Herbs
Healing Spirits Herb Farm
Mountain Rose Herbs
Pacific Botanicals
Sage Woman Herbs
Woodland Essence
Zack Woods Herbs

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Stephen Harrod Buhner is a renowned herbalist and the author of 19 books, including Herbal Antibiotics and Herbal Antivirals. He lives in Silver City, New Mexico.

Article discovered at

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-health/homemade-herbal-medicines-zm0z14fmzsor.aspx#ixzz3OLJEhVjP

 

FunkyFun Free Readings

http://funkywolfcafe.storenvy.com/

What’s going on at Funky Wolf Cafe?  Free tarot readings!  Enter coupon code FunkyFun at checkout and you will receive:

Spend $20 get a 1 card read for free

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Spend $90 get a Four Elements Spread for free

Hurry now and take advantage of this great deal!

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Someone Recorded Crickets then Slowed Down the Track, And It Sounds Like People Singing

A composer by the name of Jim Wilson has recorded the sound of crickets and then slowed down the recording, revealing something so amazing. The crickets sound like they are singing the most beautiful chorus in perfect harmony.

This recording contains two tracks played at the same time: The first is the natural sound of crickets played at regular speed while the second is the slowed down version of crickets’ voices.

Article discovered at

Full Wolf Moon 🐺

Tarot on Point with Ma Golden Bear and Jody Curtis

Oh my, our first Full Moon of 2015!!! The Wolf Moon If you’re looking for a push to set your newly created goals and New Year’s resolutions into motion, the first Full Moon of 2015 ~ the Wolf Moon ~ will not disappoint. It packs a powerful planetary punch and delivers just the right mix of “driving” energy to give us a kick start to the year ahead.

The signs of Cancer and Capricorn will be highlighted at the peak of this Full Moon which takes place on Jan. 4, 2015. The energy of Cancer (our caretaker within) and Capricorn (our ambitious side) will come out in full swing. We might feel the tug to balance these two sides in order to get ahead and do what we intended to do.

There will also be a push happening behind the scenes – which you might call an unconscious drive. Transformational Pluto will make a show stopper appearance at the peak of this Full Moon empowering us to get things done. We’re ready to say goodbye to old patterns of the past that we’ve already determined don’t work for us. That Capricorn push will help us put our foot down and say, “It’s time to take a stand and achieve my goals.”

Now getting what we want is never quite that easy, but this Full Moon does mark another turning point in pushing us a little closer to it. You can expect to feel a pull – maybe between the demands and devotion of your loved ones (Cancer) to what it is you’re aiming to do (Capricorn). This Full Moon will push us to be courageous somewhere and simply not take “no” as an answer. However there are some things to contend to if you do this. With a Grand Cross (challenging planetary combination) peaking between the signs of Capricorn, Cancer, Aries and Libra you should gear up for a balancing act in several areas.

Our responsibilities and ambitions (Capricorn) + the people we care about (Cancer) + our desire to start something new (Aries) + our ability to compromise and work as a team (Libra) will all be pulled in different directions. It’s rough to be pulled in so many ways but it’s the universe’s call to help you. This Full Moon is going to push you to balance all of these energies out while helping you ultimately get done what you have to. Let’s face it ~ some of us just need a little push when it comes to the tough stuff.

And if you can’t help that feeling to “get up and go” into 2015 ~ don’t stress. The planetary energies will certainly be there fueling you forward. Via Crystal B.

How To Grow A Lemon Tree From Seed Easily in Your Own Home

Lemons are a very important vitamin-rich citrus fruit that can enhance your beauty, your body, and your health. When you consume them every day, it can be easy to run out, so why not grow them yourself, and make it so much easier on yourself.

They are so easy to grow, and they make such a lovely plant to have in your home. It requires very little effort you will be thanking me and yourself in the long run!

Start by slicing the lemon in half and picking out the seeds. Rinse the seeds with warm water, and rub off as much of the lemon flesh as possible. This helps to prevent rot.

Plant the seeds a half inch deep in the potting soil, moisten slightly, and cover the top of the pot with plastic wrap, this is to keep everything nice and moist. The seeds will not tolerate dryness. Check the soil daily and make sure it is not drying out. Put the plant into the sunlight, it will take a bit of time but you should see a sprout in no more than two months. As the plant grows, move to a bigger pot.

Sources:

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/lemons/how-to-grow-a-lemon-tree.htm

https://growingwildceeds.wordpress.com/2012/03/10/how-to-grow-a-lemon-tree-from-seed/

Article found on:  http://buynongmoseeds.com/how-to-grow-a-lemon-tree-from-seed-easily-in-your-own-home/

Coconut Oil Is Better Than Any Toothpaste

Did you know that coconut is very powerful plant which can kill bacteria responsible for teeth damaging?

Irish scientists have tested coconut oil samples on steptococcus mutans. This is bacteria that glues to our teeth and causes dental erosion. Coconut oil became the best tool for killing bacteria.

Scientists consider that coconut oil should be the main ingredient in tooth pastes and mouth rinsing liquids. This way, our teeth will be more protected than before.

Dental caries (tooth decay) does not get the attention it should get. It occurs in 60 to 90 percent in children and it can occur in grownups as well. A guide research claim that if coconut oil, modified with chemical additives, is put into dental hygiene products it can be the most powerful tool against bacteria and other harmful substances that attack our teeth.

Coconut oil also kills the fungus Candida albicans which causes vaginal discharge, pain, stinging and burning sensation when urinating.

NOTE:  I have been making a coconut oil toothpaste for a few years and ever since we’ve started the dentist has commented on the improved health of our teeth and gums.  This is the recipe I use:

Ingredients

• 6 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 6 Tbsp. of baking soda
• 2 small packets of stevia powder
• 15-20 drops of peppermint or cinnamon essential oil or pure extract

Instructions

1. Melt or slightly soften coconut oil.
2. Mix in other ingredients and stir well. If using semi-hard coconut oil, use a fork, if not, use a spoon. If you are using completely melted coconut oil, you will need to stir several times while the mixture cools to keep the baking soda incorporated.
3. Put mixture into small glass jar (I make different ones for each family member)
4. Let cool completely.
5. To use: dip toothbrush in and scrape small amount onto bristles. Could also use a small spoon to put on toothbrush.

Article discovered at

Because I AM of Universal Mind

I am Wiccan, I am Jewish, I am Christian, I am Pagan, I am Atheist, I am Gnostic, I am all because I am the universe. Happy times to all!!! ~ Funky Wolf Cafe 

December Religious Holidays: It’s The Most Wonderfully Holy Time Of The Year

(RNS) A quick glimpse at a calendar is one way to see how religiously diverse the United States has become.

This year, December, a month that encompasses the Christian and Jewish celebrations of Christmas and Hanukkah, includes spiritually significant days for Muslims, Buddhists, Pagans and Zoroastrians.

Yes, Zoroastrians: Scholars estimate there are 6,000 followers of the centuries-old tradition in North America.

Here’s a quick look at some of the sacred days that illuminate the last month of 2011.

Dec. 5, Ashura, the 10th day of the first month on the Islamic calendar. Sunnis, the largest group of Muslims, remember that the Prophet Muhammad fasted in solidarity with Jews who were observing Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Shiites recall the death of Muhammad’s grandson in battle, an event that led to their differences with the Sunnis.

Dec. 6, the feast of St. Nicholas. Some Christians revere the fourth-century bishop of Myra, a Greek province in Asia Minor. His reputation for piety may have inspired the legend of Santa Claus. The tradition of leaving gifts for children on St. Nicholas Day began in the Low Countries and spread to North America with Dutch immigrants.

Dec. 8, Bodhi Day. Buddhists recall that Siddhartha Gautama vowed to sit under a tree in what is now Bodhgaya, India, and not to rise until he was enlightened. The title Buddha means “awakened one.”

Roman Catholics observe this day as the feast of the Immaculate Conception, believing that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was born without sin.

Dec. 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Observed by Catholics, especially those of Hispanic descent, the story of Guadalupe recounts a 16th-century apparition of Mary to Juan Diego, a poor Indian, on a hillside near what is now Mexico City.

Dec. 20, the Jewish festival of Hanukkah begins  at sunset on this date and continues for seven more nights. It is a remembrance of an effort to restore the Temple in Jerusalem after a period of desecration. Faithful Jews found only enough oil to light the temple lamp for one day, but the flame burned for eight.

Dec. 21, Yalda, the Zoroastrian celebration of the winter solstice.

Dec. 22, Yule or winter solstice, the shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere. Juul, a pre-Christian festival observed in Scandinavia, featured fires lit to symbolize the heat, light and life-giving properties of the returning sun. Wiccans and other pagan groups celebrate Yule.

Dec. 25, Christmas, observed by Christians since the Middle Ages as the birth of Jesus. Some Orthodox Christians follow a different calendar, and Christmas may fall on a different date. 

Dec. 26, Zoroastrians observe the death of the prophet Zarathushtra, known in the West as Zoroaster. Tradition says he lived in what is now Iran in about 1200 B.C. His teachings include the idea of one eternal God; seven powerful creations: sky, water, earth, plants, animals, humans and fire; and that life is a struggle between good and evil.

This is also the starting date for Kwanzaa, a weeklong, modern African-American and pan-African celebration of family, community and culture. For some people who keep Kwanzaa, the festival has spiritual overtones in its emphasis on imani, Swahili for “faith.”

(Nancy Haught writes for The Oregonian in Portland, Ore.)

Article from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/02/december-religious-holidays_n_1126507.html